PORT BLAIR

Port Blair is a scenic hill city of South Andamans, located in Bay of Bengal. It is the largest town and the capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands, a union territory of India. Port Blair offers an interesting mix of landscapes with hills, beaches and dense lush forests as well as ethnicities with both the indigenous tribes like Mawa Shopmens and Nicobarese and outsiders present on the island. Named to honor Lieutenant Archibald Blair of British East India Company, Port Blair became the hotbed of the freedom struggle when an enormous cellular jail was built in the 19th century to house Indian political prisoners in solitary confinement.

Blessed with scenic places in abundance, the major attractions include the Cellular Jail which boasts of a national memorial and sound and light show, Ross island and Viper island, pristine beaches like Carbyn’s cove, North Bay, Mundapahar, Wandoor and Collinpur, open spaces like Gandhi Park, Mount Harriet, Sippighat agricultural farm and a Science center. Port Blair will also thrill the water enthusiasts as the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports complex offers a variety of boats like paddle-boats, bumper boats, Jet Ski, banana boats and speed boats and indulge in Parasailing, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling. One can also indulge in shopping at Arbdeen bazaar, which is famous for pearl jewelry, mats etc.

Port Blair can be easily reached by Air (direct flights from Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai) and Water (passenger ships from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam). On reaching, one can easily find an accommodation from a variety of choices like 4 star, 3 star, to budget hotels and guest houses.

The best time to visit Port Blair is between March to May and October to February. The best places to eat at include Annapurna, Mandalay, New India Café and New Lighthouse Restaurant. Port Blair is a mystical city famous for tribal, historical and mythical legends. Anyone up for rejuvenation and some soul searching must definitely add this one to their bucket list.